Minors
The Film, Media & Communications Department offers several minors for students looking to explore aspects of media studies or content creation in addition to, or in support of their chosen fields. Our minors are open to students of any program.
For each of the minors in the Film, Media & Communication Department, a total of 18 units of credit are required. Also, 9 units of the 18 must be upper division credit (3 UD courses) which cannot be used to fulfill requirements for the major, general education, or another minor.
The Film, Media & Communication minors include (in alphabetical order):
Acting
As the Bard declared, “All the world’s a stage.” Personal presentation, image management, and the ability to command oneself with confidence in multiple situations are skills applicable for students in nearly any major. The minor in Acting prepares students for performance in the theater, in front of the camera, and/or on the proverbial global stage.
Documentary
The minor in Documentary provides students in any major the foundational artistic and technical skills needed to produce cinematic non-fiction content to tell and/or address the compelling stories of today.
Film & Media
Video has emerged as a key aspect of human communication. The minor in Film and Media introduces students to the core elements of creative media production and digital storytelling that can be applied in nearly any occupation or field of study.
Film, Media & Social Justice
The media has been and continues to be a powerful force in shaping public attitudes and addressing contemporary issues. The minor in Film, Media & Social Justice will empower students of any major to critically analyze media messages, address traditional industry trends of gender and race representation, and harness media content as a tool for social change.
Gender & Media
The minor in Gender and Media prepares students of any major to critically analyze the role and representation of women, and gender as a whole, in the entertainment industry, and empowers students to be forces for positive change and gender equality.
Journalism & New Media
From video blogging or investigative journalism to social issue reporting and ethics, students from any major who add the minor in Journalism and New Media will learn the foundational skills to identify and give a voice to today's dynamic stories and important issues utilizing traditional journalistic research and writing infused with the latest media trends.
Multimedia Communication
We live in a media-saturated world. The minor in Multimedia Communication introduces students of any major to the fundamentals of modern media creation and mass communication including image manipulation, public relations, and video production.
Professional Photography
The minor in photography at MSMU gives the students in any major an opportunity to compliment their studies with a well rounded survey of photographic courses. In today’s visual world the ability to create and understand unique imagery is an added value in any sector of business, for profit or non profit. Through coursework the student has the opportunity to learn basic foundations of photography, advanced lighting techniques, studio product photography, workflow, aesthetics, critical analysis and professional practices.
Acting Minor Degree Requirements
Required Courses
| Acting Minor Degree Requirements | ||
|---|---|---|
| FLM 101 | Introduction to Film | 3 |
| FLM 106 | Voice Diction & Camera Persona | 3 |
| FLM 139A/FLM 206 | Introduction to Digital Video Production; | 3 |
| FLM 156A | On-Screen Acting | 3 |
| FLM 156B | On-Screen Acting | 3 |
| FLM 166 | Acting for Stage & Motion Capture | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 | |
Documentary Minor Degree Requirements
Core Courses
| Documentary Minor Degree Requirements | ||
|---|---|---|
| FLM 101 | Introduction to Film | 3 |
| FLM 129A | Documentary Filmmaking A | 3 |
| FLM 139A/FLM 205 | Introduction to Digital Video Production | 3 |
Electives
Choose three courses from the following:
| Electives | ||
|---|---|---|
| PHO 2 | Foundations of Photography | 3 |
| FLM 115 | Audio Storytelling | 3 |
| FLM 125 | Media Anthropology | 3 |
| FLM 127/FLM 203 | Documentary Storytelling | 3 |
| FLM 128 | Documentary Editing | 3 |
| FLM 129B | Documentary Filmmaking B | 3 |
| FLM 130A/FLM 215A | Documentary Production Workshop A | 3 |
| FLM 104 | Lighting for People | 3 |
| FLM 120 | Post Production with Adobe | 3 |
| FLM 182 | Imaging Time | 3 |
| JRN 112 | Photojournalism | 3 |
| JRN 125 | Mobile Journalism | 3 |
| JRN 147A | Newscasting | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 | |
Film and Media Minor Degree Requirements
Required Courses
| Film and Media Minor Degree Requirements | ||
|---|---|---|
| FLM 101 | Introduction to Film | 3 |
| FLM 132/FLM 250 | History of American Cinema | 3 |
| FLM 139A/FLM 205 | Introduction to Digital Video Production | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 | |
Film, Media and Social Justice Minor
Required Courses
| Film, Media and Social Justice Minor | ||
|---|---|---|
| FLM 131A | Film, Media and Social Justice | 3 |
| FLM 135 | Mass Media | 3 |
| FLM 168 | Race Sex & Hollywood | 3 |
| Plus three elective Film courses | 9 | |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 | |
Gender & Media Minor
Required Courses
Core Courses
| Gender & Media Minor | ||
|---|---|---|
| FLM 124 | Gender & Media | 3 |
| FLM 135 | Mass Media | 3 |
| FLM 142A | Women in Hollywood | 3 |
Electives
Choose three of the following:
| Electives | ||
|---|---|---|
| FLM 105 | Women in the Director's Chair | 3 |
| FLM 116 | Feminine Identity and the Disney Film | 3 |
| FLM 131A | Film, Media and Social Justice | 3 |
| FLM 131B | Film, Media and Social Justice B | 3 |
| FLM 136 | Disney Inc. and Mass Popular Culture | 3 |
| FLM 142B | Women in Hollywood | 3 |
| FLM 168 | Race, Sex & Hollywood | 3 |
| PSY 186 | Violence Against Women | 3 |
| SOC 163 | Women's and Children's Human Rights | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 | |
Additional elective options by approval of Chair/Director
Journalism & New Media Minor
Required Courses
Courses
| Journalism & New Media Minor | ||
|---|---|---|
| JRN 101 | Basic News Writing | 3 |
| JRN 111 | Investigative Journalism | 3 |
| FLM 139A/FLM 205 | Introduction to Digital Video Production | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 | |
Plus 3 additional courses (9 units) either in the Journalism and New Media major or elective list.
Multimedia Communication Minor
Required Courses
Core Courses
| Multimedia Communication Minor | ||
|---|---|---|
| GRD 15 | Computer Graphics | 3 |
| SOC 30 | Human Communication | 3 |
| FLM 139A/FLM 205 | Introduction to Digital Video Production | 3 |
Electives
Choose two of the following:
| Electives | ||
|---|---|---|
| ART 10 | Photography 1 | 3 |
| BUS 21 | The Essentials of Business Writing and Presentation | 3 |
| BUS 165 | New Media Marketing | 3 |
| FLM 118 | New Media | 3 |
| FLM 123 | Commercial Production | 3 |
| FLM 144A | Digital Cinematography | 3 |
| FLM 154 | Production Management | 3 |
| FLM 157 | Social Media Advocacy | 3 |
| GIS 10/110 | Fundamentals of GIS | 3 |
| GRD 116 | Design for the World Wide Web | 3 |
| JRN 116 | Basic News Writing | 3 |
| JRN 112 | Photojournalism | 3 |
| JRN 125 | Mobile Journalism | 3 |
| JRN 147A | Newscasting | 3 |
| PHO 2 | Foundations of Photography | 3 |
| PHO 111 | The Art Director | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 | |
Professional Photography Minor
Degree Requirements
Core Courses
| Professional Photography Minor | ||
|---|---|---|
| PHO 2 | Foundations of Photography | 3 |
| PHO 8 | Lighting Principles | 3 |
| FLM 139A | Introduction to Digital Video Production | 3 |
Electives (9 units)
Complete any three PHO elective classes and/or other classes by advisement such as:
| Electives | ||
|---|---|---|
| ART 10 | Photography I | 3 |
| ART 108 | Digital Deluge | 3 |
| ART 150A | Photography II: Portraiture | 3 |
| ART 152A | Color Digital Photography | 3 |
PHO 195 Portfolio Development is recommended to be taken as the culminating course of the minor.